Vaping Industry's Impact on Youths

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Created on Wednesday, 19 September 2018 22:10

Written by Tom Lanza

LYNDONVILLE- The state of Vermont has set aside an additional one million dollars for the 2019 fiscal year for tobacco-control projects. Much of what made this happen was a 2016 study showing that eighteen percent of adult Vermonters used tobacco products, a number that was higher than the national average of 15.5 percent.

The goal of the funding is to attract more adults to smoking addiction programs, and to educate young people on the risks of electronic cigarettes. It has been reported that in the last decade, an increasing number of high school students have tried electronic vapor products. The state's new campaign will address "the myth that e-cigarettes are harmless."

State Disease Prevention Chief, Rhonda Williams, spoke about electronic cigarettes, saying that, "They do contain harmful components, with a special emphasis on nicotine."

Anti-smoking advocates have seen a direct connection between stagnant or increasing smoking habits, and the lack of tobacco-control funding. As a result of this, many teens are addicted to nicotine because of electronic cigarettes.

However, this is not the intent of electronic cigarette supply companies. Their intent is actually the exact opposite. They began with a mission to help cigarette smokers kick their nasty habit by offering a smoking alternative. Over time, it's hoped that with the help of their products, people will wean themselves off of nicotine completely.

According to NEK Vapor Manager, Marcus Bessette, youth's addiction habits may be traced back to the trendiness of the e-cigarette industry. "Today, youths are more apt to vape than smoke. Unlike in the past, where buying cigarettes was the cool thing to do," he said.

Fruit flavored nicotine pods such as Juul devices and other electronic pod systems, have been cracked down on due to the high amount of teenagers who have gotten their hands on them. The issue is the same, these individuals have never smoked cigarettes in their lives and have no need for the use of these high-nicotine electronic cigarettes.

This is where educating the youth on the dangers of electronic cigarettes becomes so imperative. Many teens who utilize nicotine-rich electronic cigarettes were never before addicted. Instead, they started using e-cigarettes because they think it looks cool, and are curious to try it. Therefore, they make themselves addicted and dependent on nicotine, despite a non-existent smoking history.

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